Removably attached seat for a mobility apparatus

Abstract

A seat comprising: an attachment bracket; a seat hub rotatably attached to the attachment bracket in a first axis; a first locking mechanism operable to place the seat hub between a first position and a second position; a seat arm swivably attached to the seat hub in a second axis, wherein the second axis is substantially orthogonal to the first axis; a seating pad rotatably attached to the seat arm in a third axis, wherein the seating pad is caused to pivot into a sitting position; a second locking mechanism operable to maintain the seating pad in the sitting position.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A mobility apparatus comprising:
 a handle assembly; 
 a base having casters;
 a seat comprising:
 an attachment bracket; 
 a seat hub rotatably attached to the attachment bracket in a first axis; 
 a first locking mechanism operable to place the seat hub between a first position and a second position; 
 a seat arm swivably attached to the seat hub in a second axis, wherein the second axis is substantially orthogonal to the first axis; 
 a seating pad rotatably attached to the seat arm in a third axis, wherein the seating pad is caused to pivot into a sitting position; 
 a second locking mechanism operable to maintain the seating pad in the sitting position; 
 
 
 a third locking mechanism operable to place the handle assembly into a plurality of positions corresponding to an operating mode of the apparatus, and maintain the handle assembly in one of the plurality of positions; 
 wherein the third locking mechanism comprises:
 a hub fixedly secured to the base, the hub comprising attachment means for the handle assembly; 
 a hub ring rotatably secured within the hub; 
 a biased sliding lock pin; 
 a lock track comprising a plurality of detent positions engageable by the biased sliding lock pin to place the handle assembly into the plurality of positions, and maintain the handle assembly in one of the plurality of positions; 
 a gas spring mechanism coupled to the hub ring; 
 
 an actuating mechanism comprising a hand operated lever coupled to the biased sliding lock pin and operable to cause the biased sliding lock pin in the plurality of detent positions; and 
 a braking mechanism for the casters, wherein the braking mechanism is operable to lock and unlock the casters simultaneously. 
 
     
     
       2. The mobility apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the seat hub is rotatably attached to attachment bracket by a seat hub pin. 
     
     
       3. The mobility apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein a seat hub body comprises at least one travel channel with a channel opening and channel end, and the attachment bracket comprises at least one stop pin received in the at least one travel channel. 
     
     
       4. The mobility apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the seat hub body rotates until channel end abuts the at least one stop pin. 
     
     
       5. The mobility apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the seat arm comprises one end swivably attached to the seat hub and a second end comprising a hinge structure carrying the seating pad. 
     
     
       6. The mobility apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the seat arm comprises a flange at the one end, wherein the flange is caused to abut an edge of the seat hub body to arrest rotation of the seat arm. 
     
     
       7. The mobility apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the seat hub body comprises a hard stop pin configured to arrest rotation of the seat arm. 
     
     
       8. The mobility apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the hinge structure comprising two first opposed plates extending from a surface of the seat arm, the two first opposed plates comprising first holes. 
     
     
       9. The mobility apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the seating pad comprises two second opposed plates with second holes, wherein the second opposed plates are received between the first opposed plates, and a seat pad rotating dowel is received by the first holes and the second holes, such that the seating pad rotates about the seat pad rotating dowel. 
     
     
       10. The mobility apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the two second opposed plates comprises a seating pad hard stop pin extending therebetween, the seating pad hard stop pin comprising ends extending beyond an outer surface of each of the two second opposed plates, and wherein the ends are configured to strike an edge of two first opposed plates to stop rotation of the seating pad beyond a desired angle. 
     
     
       11. A seat for a mobility apparatus, the seat comprising:
 an attachment bracket; 
 a seat hub rotatably attached to the attachment bracket in a first axis; 
 a first locking mechanism operable to place the seat hub between a first position and a second position; 
 a seat arm swivably attached to the seat hub in a second axis, wherein the second axis is substantially orthogonal to the first axis; 
 a seating pad rotatably attached to the seat arm in a third axis, wherein the seating pad is caused to pivot into a sitting position; 
 a second locking mechanism operable to maintain the seating pad in the sitting position; and 
 a seat hub body comprising at least one travel channel with a channel opening and channel end, and the attachment bracket comprises at least one stop pin received in the at least one travel channel. 
 
     
     
       12. The seat of  claim 11 , wherein the seat hub is rotatably attached to attachment bracket by a seat hub pin. 
     
     
       13. The seat of  claim 11 , wherein the seat hub body rotates until channel end abuts the at least one stop pin. 
     
     
       14. The seat of  claim 13 , wherein the seat arm comprises one end swivably attached to the seat hub and a second end comprising a hinge structure carrying the seating pad. 
     
     
       15. The seat of  claim 14 , wherein the seat arm comprises a flange at the one end, wherein the flange is caused to abut an edge of the seat hub body to arrest rotation of the seat arm. 
     
     
       16. The seat of  claim 14 , wherein the seat hub body comprises a hard stop pin configured to arrest rotation of the seat arm. 
     
     
       17. The seat of  claim 14 , wherein the hinge structure comprising two first opposed plates extending from a surface of the seat arm, the two first opposed plates comprising first holes. 
     
     
       18. The seat of  claim 17 , wherein the seating pad comprises two second opposed plates with second holes, wherein the second opposed plates are received between the first opposed plates, and a seat pad rotating dowel is received by the first holes and the second holes, such that the seating pad rotates about the seat pad rotating dowel. 
     
     
       19. The seat of  claim 18 , wherein the two second opposed plates comprises a seating pad hard stop pin extending therebetween, the seating pad hard stop pin comprising ends extending beyond an outer surface of each of the two second opposed plates, and wherein the ends are configured to strike an edge of two first opposed plates to stop rotation of the seating pad beyond a desired angle.